Senator Natasha, committee chairman clash at Mines and Steel budget defence

Tempers flared on Wednesday during the budget defence session of the Ministry of Steel Development as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) engaged in a heated exchange with Senator Patrick Ndubueze, chairman of the Senate committee overseeing the ministry.

The confrontation occurred after nearly four hours of deliberations, when Ndubueze attempted to draw the session to a close, stating that Akpoti-Uduaghan had spoken at length and that proceedings needed to be concluded.

The move triggered a sharp reaction from the Kogi Central senator, leading to a brief but tense standoff before order was restored.

As the chairman raised his gavel to adjourn the session, Akpoti-Uduaghan interjected: “No, please do not interrupt. I still have something to say, and I think you should respect me enough. Please don’t do that.”

Ignoring her protest, Ndubueze struck the gavel and responded: “No, you have spoken enough, and I have respected you enough.”

The senator replied, “Mr Chairman, thank you. Then that’s fine,” before raising her voice.

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“I think you have disrespected me more than enough. No, no, no. You can’t do this to me. You can’t. You have spoken enough — allow me to speak. I have something very vital to interface with the minister.

“And it doesn’t matter if I’ve spoken once or twice. This is an interactive session. And you agree that we have not met with the minister enough. Only God knows where next we are going to meet with him as a committee.”

She subsequently walked out of the hearing room.

Scrutiny over Ajaokuta

Earlier, the session — which focused on the performance of the 2024 budget and proposals for 2025 — had been marked by intense scrutiny of the ministry’s handling of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and related memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with private partners.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose senatorial district hosts Ajaokuta, repeatedly questioned the transparency and structure of agreements entered into by the ministry.

“I did request for a copy of the MoU because I needed to be certain that due diligence was conducted,” she said. “But since I was not furnished with the MoU, I had to rely on third-party conversations.”

According to her, information available to her suggested that while one partner was expected to provide technical expertise, financing was to come from another.

“If TPE was to bring the technical expertise, that means ProForce should have brought the finance. Please explain this to me,” she demanded.

The lawmaker also accused the ministry of failing to adequately engage her as the representative of the host community.

“I am the senator representing Kogi Central, and since I got into the Senate, we’ve just met only three times. We only seem to meet at budget presentations,” she said.

She disclosed that she had previously written to the minister requesting a meeting but was not granted an audience.

“I am saying it right now, I am going to write to you formally. I am seated in dual capacity. I have got host community representation to project and protect,” she added.

At one point, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the ministry of recycling rhetoric without measurable progress.

“You have prepared this fantastic speech… we just meet, we talk to the media, and then every day we fold our arms and do nothing,” she said.

“Three years into you being a minister, we are still trying to go back and forth on what is the best model to move Ajaokuta. Isn’t that funny?”

Budget performance

Minister of Steel Development Shuaibu Audu, in his presentation, outlined the ministry’s mandate and budget performance.

He said the ministry and its agencies received N24.143 billion in the 2024 appropriation, comprising N9.5 billion for personnel, N383 million for overhead, and N11.06 billion for capital expenditure.

According to him, as of December 31, 2025, total releases stood at 56.5 per cent of the appropriation. Personnel and overhead allocations were fully released, while capital releases stood at 48.4 per cent.

He added that capital releases for the 2025 budget had yet to commence.

Responding to concerns over the MoU, the minister said the National Assembly had been provided with details of the agreement and advised the senator to follow established procedures if she sought further engagement.

Calls for domestic financing

Earlier in the session, Senator Isah Jibrin (Kogi East) urged the ministry to reduce reliance on foreign investors and explore domestic financing options to revive Ajaokuta.

“We need to approach the Debt Management Office with specific requests on specific production lines,” he said, noting that Ajaokuta has over 20 production lines that could be activated in phases.

“Why is anyone waiting for foreign investors to come in? There are so many issues related to foreign investment. One of them is security,” he added.

Jibrin argued that activating even a few viable production lines through locally raised funds could significantly reduce unemployment and stimulate economic activity.

Committee chairman Ndubueze also expressed dissatisfaction with the ministry’s engagement with lawmakers, recalling previous discussions on revitalising Ajaokuta.

“Remember, we have discussed this several times,” he said, noting that the committee had urged the ministry to look inward and carry lawmakers along during foreign trips and negotiations.

He said the committee had received independent information suggesting that several units within Ajaokuta could operate if properly supported.

Despite the friction, the committee resolved to hold further sessions to address unresolved issues surrounding the Ajaokuta Steel Company and other pending agreements.